SilentiumPC really pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the Fera 5 and Fera 5 Dual Fan coolers. Not only is performance solid on both, price to performance is also exceptional. Both are situated at or near the top of the chart, with the Fera 5 being one of the best I have seen. Even the increased cost of the Fera 5 Dual Fan has it remain of top-tier value, and it only gets better when you consider that they have a decent noise profile with the added benefit of the semi-passive operation with the fans at very low PWM settings.

It is also worth noting that the Fera 5 and Fera 5 Dual Fan at maximum RPM end up quieter than the ID-Cooling SE 224 XT Basic, which is also one of the best entry-level coolers I have tested. Now, I won't claim SilentiumPC's two offerings are quiet by any means, but it is not terrible either. Even the venerable Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition, which is a refinement of many previous Hyper 212 coolers, meets its match here. In terms of pure performance at both maximum RPM and in our 45 dBA noise-normalized tests, the Fera 5 and Fera 5 Dual Fan both show that SilentiumPC has what it takes to take on the competition.

Even build quality is good; sure, it's not top-tier, but at this price point, it is not going to be as that would be a fantasy. However, when you consider what you do get for the price, it becomes quite simple—you get a solid cooler with a stellar six-year warranty and good performance, which is becoming somewhat rare these days.

Speaking of rare, the AMD mounting solution falls into that category. Gone is the fiddly process of holding a backplate in place while sliding a screw through a bracket and into a plastic spacer, which I find highly annoying as I test coolers daily. Instead, SilentiumPC provides a solution that is far more similar to how coolers are installed on Intel's LGA115X and other mainstream sockets. Standoffs secure the backplate and the bracket then mounts straight to the standoffs. It is simple but effective, yet very few companies seem to understand that it can be done on AMD. Granted, the mounting hardware itself is not on par quality-wise with, for example, Noctua's SecuFirm 2 kits, but fit and finish mean little compared to the ease of use and functionality—suffice it to say, SilentiumPC nailed it when it comes to AMD.

The only changes I would like to see are a switch to all-metal standoffs, or a textured plastic for more grip during removal. A bit more attention to the flatness of the base would also be nice, but considering both samples performed the same, it is a want rather than a need in this particular market segment. Other than that, maybe some better availability, The Fera 5 and Fera 5 Dual Fan are limited predominately to the EU with no real US availability at the moment.

In summation, the SilentiumPC Fera 5 and Fera 5 Dual Fan provide excellent value and performance, and are backed with a stellar warranty, making them easy to recommend if you are in the EU.